Hood fastener



A ril 25, 1933. s. DE ORLOW HOOD FASTENER Filed July 7, 1950 INVENTOR 525p an .275 Drlazzr ATTO R N EYS li d Patented Apr. 25, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE STEPHEN DE ORLOW, OF EAST LANSING, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR TO TERNSTEDT MANU- FACTURING COMPANY, 013 DETROIT, MICHIGAN, A. CORPORATION OF MICHIGAN HOOD FASTENER Application filed Ju1v7, 1930. Serial No. 465,936.

The present invention pertains to anovel fastener designed particularly for holding down the hood of a motor Vehicle.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide a device of this character carried by the hood at the innerface thereof'a'ndmovable therewith, as distinguished from present fasteners carried by the. hood sill and dis-.

' metal parts, exceptingsuch small standard pieces as springs, screws and studs- According to the present invention, stampings are used for the pull rod or plunger, the bracket guiding the same, the locking piece and finger piece, and the detent engageable by the locking piece.v e

The invention is fully disclosed by way of example in the following description andfin the accompanying drawing, in which+ Figure 1 is a longitudinal section of an automobile hood, showing the latch in locking position;

Fig. 2 is an elevation of the device, partly in section, directly adjacent the inner face of the hood;

Fig. 3 is a detail elevation of the pull rod Fig. 4 is a plan view of the member constituting the latch and finger piece; 7

Fig. 5 is a plan view of the detent; and

Fig. 6 is a vertical section of a modified construction, showing the same in release position.

Reference to these views will now be made by use of like characters which are employed to designate corresponding parts throughout.

The conventional form of automobile hoodis designated by the numeral 1 in Figure 1 where it is shown in section. To theinner side of the hood is suitably fastened a bracket 2 having upper and lower lugs or ears 3 and 4 respectively. A pull rod or support 5, 1s

lug 7 projects laterally from the heel'of the the forward side of the cowl structure, is selug 7 which extends from the foot 6.

passed slidably through the ears in substantially parallel relation to the side of the hood 1 and is formed at its lower end with an upwardly and inwardly extending foot 6.' 'A

455 foot 6 for a purpose which. will presently I appear. V I

To a suitable fixed part of the automotive vehicle, such as the back ofthe radiator or cured a detent or keeper consisting, for example, of a back plate 8 attached to such fixed portion-by screws 9 and having a flange 10 extending therefrom and preferably curled at 11 at the operative end for reinforcement. It will be evident that the detent member, as well as the bracket 2 and rod 5'may bemade from sheet metal .by stamping operations.

The pull rod is supported in the bracket by a spring structure presently to be described, and this spring structure draws a locking member against the detent as will also presently appear.

The locking member is also in the nature of a stamping and includes moreover the finger piece for operating the device. This member may be described as having a shank 12 of double thickness metal received in a slot 13 in the hood 1 and formed at one end with. a finger loop 14: on the outer side of the hood. The hook orlocking portion 15 of this member is also constructed of double metal shaped to straddle the foot 6 over the '85 extends upwardly and inwardly, parallel to the foot 6, when the shank 12 is in horizontal positionas shown in Figure 1. In this position, the locking portion 15 rests upon the The locking portion 15 is adapted to engage beneath the curl or bead 11 and is drawn against the latter member by a spring 16 surrounding'the pull rod 5 between the ears 3 and 4. The lower 'end of the spring bears upon the lower ear 4, while the upper end bears against the disk 17 surrounding the Qrod and limited in its upward movement by a pin 18 passed through the rod. It is also to be noted that the toe of the foot 6 isapere tured at 19 for permanent pivotal connection to the inner end of the locking portion 15 by means of a pivot pin 20.

In Figure 6 is illustrated a modified construction difiering only in the detent. This modification is designed for instance where it is desired to mount the detent on the sill rather than on vertical parts. Accordingly, there is provided a stamping 21 standing principally in a vertical plane and adapted to be fastened to the sill by means of a stud 22. A slot 23 is formed in the stamping by striking out a piece of metal and leaving the same integral with the blank at the upper edge of the slot thus formed. The metal which is thus struck out is rolled to form a bead or curl 24 at the upper edge of the slot, adapted for engagement by the locking portion'15 in the same manner as thebead 11 in Figure 1. Thelocking portion 15 and the foot 6 of the pull rod 5 are obviously adapted to pass throughthe slot 23, and the remaining parts of the structure are shaped and assembled as described in connection with Figures 1 to 5. V I

In the use of the device it will be seen by reference to Figure 1 that the spring 1.6, acting on the locking portion 15 through the lug 7, normally draws the portion 15 against the bead on the detent. In order to release the hood from the detent, the finger piece 14 is swung upwardly on its pivot until the shank 12engages the upper edge of the slot 13. Further tilting of the finger piece and locking member around the upper edge of the slot 13 as a fulcrum draws the foot 6 away from the bead of the detent, against the action of the spring 16, as illustrated in Figure 6. The upper edge of the locking member 15 has now assumed a downward and inward slope, whereupon it may readily be released from the detent to permit lifting of the hood by an upward pull on the finger pieces 14.

Although a specific embodiment of the invention has been illustrated and described, it will be understood that various alterations in the details of construction may be made without departing from the scope of the invention as indicated by the appended claims.

What I claim is I 1. In a latch for the hoods of automotive vehicles, a keeper secured inside the hood to a stationary part of the vehicle, means mounted on the inside of the hood for slidable movement only, a foot on said means capable of being pushed under the keeper when the hood is latched, said foot having no contact with said keeper, a hook pivoted to said foot, said hook having a handle extending outside the hood and operating said hook to cause it to become engaged with or disengaged from the keeper.

2. In a latch for the hoods of automotive vehicles, a keeper secured inside the hood a or disengaged from the keeper.

3. Ina catch for the hoods of automotive vehicles, a keeper inside the hood mounted on a stationary part of the vehicle, a movable member secured to the hood, a hook piv- 80 oted'to the movable member, a part of both of said member and hook adapted to extend under the l'r'eeper, said member being at all times out of contact with said keeper, and v a handle for moving said hook to cause it to become engaged with or disengaged from the keeper. i

In a catch for the hoods of automotive vehicles, a'keeper secured to a stationary N part of the vehicle, means mounted inside the hood for slidable movement only, a foot on said means extending under said keeper but out of contact therewith when the hood is latched, a hook attached to said foot and adapted to extend under the "keeper to engage the same to hold the hood in latched position, said hook having a handle extending outside the hood, the operation of said handle tripping both said hook and foot from the keeper to release the hood.

5. In a catch for the hoods ofautomotive vehicles, a keeper secured to a stationary part of the vehicle, means mounted inside the hood for slidable movement only, a foot on said means extending under said keeper when the hood is latched, a hook attached to said foot, said hook having a handle extending outside thehood, the operation of said handle tripping both said hook and foot from the keeper to release the hood, said hook only contacting with said keeper when the catch is in latched position.

6. In latching means for the multiple hinge closure of an automobile hood, a keeper positioned within the hood, a latch bolt positioned within the closure and means, mounted on the closure, for guiding it for movement along a generally upright path, yielding means tending-normally to move it upwardly along said path, and a lever mounted on said latch bolt, for rotation about an axis lying, when the latch is in latching position, at a point more remote from the inner face of the closure than is the keeper, said lever including a unitary exterior handle portion extendingoutwardly through an aperture in the closure, and a portion adapted, when the handle is at one limit of its arc of rotation, to maintain a. locking connection with the keeper, and

adapted, when the handle lever is at the opposite limit of its rotation, for ready withdrawal from the keeper.

7. In latching means for the multiple hinge closure of an automobile hood, a keeper positioned within the hood, a latch bolt positioned within the closure and means, mounted on the closure, for guiding it for movement along a generally upright path, yielding means tending normally to move it upwardly along said path, and a lever mounted on said latch bolt, said lever including a unitary exterior handle portion extending outwardly through an aperture in the closure, and a portion adapted, when the handle is at one limit of its arc of rotation, to maintain a camming locking connection with the keeper, and adapted, when the handle lever is at the opposite limit of its rotation, for ready withdrawal from the keeper.

8. In latching means for the multiple hinge closure of an automobile hood, a keeper positioned within the hood, a latch bolt positioned within the closure and means, mounted on the closure, for guiding it for movement along a generally upright path, yielding means tending normally to move it upwardly along said path, and a lever mounted on said latch bolt, said lever including a unitary exterior handle portion extending outwardly through an aperture in the do sure, said lever being provided with a looking portion adapted to penetrate to the rear of the keeper when the handle is at one limit of its arc of rotation, to maintain a locking connection with the keeper, said locking porcluding a hook portion adjacent the lower end thereof, and a levermounted on said tion lyin when the handle lever is at the V opposite imit of its arc of rotation, substantially in the horizontal plane of the lowest portion of the keeper.

9. In latching means for the multiple hinge closure of an automobile hood, a keeper positioned within the hood, a latch bolt positioned within the closure and means, mounted on the closure, for guiding it for movement along a generally upright path, yielding means tending normally to move it upward y along said path, and a lever mounted on said latch bolt, said lever including a unitary exterior handle portion extending outwardly through an aperture in the 010- sure, and a portion adapted, when the handle is at one limit of its arc of rotation, to maintain a locking connection with the keeper, said portion being withdrawn from locking relationship with the keeper in response to unlatching movement of the handle.

10. In latching means for the multiple hinge closure of an automobile hood, a keeper positioned within the hood, a latch bolt positioned within the closure and means, mounted on the closure, for guiding it for movement along a generally upright path, yielding means tending normally to move it upwardly along-said path, said latch bolt in- 

